3LATTE
r
'RIBUN
9
1
5,
NOR
ATT
bill I
AND
'I?
Situated in the Rich and Fertile
Valley of the North Platte River.
Irrigation Prevails, Consequently
Drouths Never Occur.
Mil Plstte is tbe Queen of It All
The Home of the Famous Indian
Scout, Col W. F. Cody, IJetter
Known as "liuflnlo r.lll.'
The City Is Vosscssed ol Good Schools.
Churches and Two Solid ltanKln
Institutions.
Alter Visiting Our City and County
an Iowa Iiditor (Jives a Uriel' lie
view of Them and Our Most
i;iiterjrlsliis Citizens.
(Written by Uco. T. Williams.
Introduction.
In i)resenting this article to the pub
lic it is the writer's object to give a
plain and truthful statement of the ad
vantages of North Platte and Lincoln
county, situated in the south western
part ot thw best state in the union.
Nothing has been exagerated, and no
attempt has been made to occasion the
county and city to appear better than
they really xte. It is not the inten
tion of th (writer to attempt to give all
the details of the early settlement, nor
is it expected, for by right that falls tt
the lot of the historian. Our aim has
been to give a clear and concise resume
of county, city and inhabitants, in the
hope of aiding those who may be look
ing for an acceptable place in which to
locate a home, to direct their steps to
wards Lincoln county, where they ma
dwell in the midst of wealth, culture
and refinement.
Transformation.
The transformation, growth and de
velopment of this part of Nebraska
was the product of the Omnipotent
But yesterday an unbounded wilder
ncss a vast uuKnown expanse tLe
abode ol the bison the happy hunting
ground of the Nomads of the plain?,
who reigned in pern e supreme. The
world is familiar with th? phenomenal
ly rapid growth of the west. In one
brief Tcneratiou we have looked with
amazement at the night of vast herds
of wild game and the advancing cara
vans of the i'nmesrant: saw the loco
motive climb c-humois-Iike over clifiV
and salir the very rrest of ihe Rock
mountain?: have seen a vcvh of steel
sprea'l over the wildiii;er-s by lh
great spider tf coTjitnerr-; the t'pes 1 1
the Indians swept a any ui make room
for the fictory. church an.l sehuo!
house, and rai! 'f lI,e ' 40-er"
marked by 'he decrying lmne of b ah
man and beast. Atnul the roar of the
mill wheel, the din or factory Uiistle
and the clatter of wheels of trade. lhj
people of the east have swept wit',
their telescopes the far west for the
glitter of gold and the broad domain of
the western states for the fruit of agri
culture alone, and this county, and this
city North Platte in this state of
golden crops of grain and great herds
of cattle have caught the eye of the
east, and the query comes "what won
ders has nature's store house given to
enrich?" Turn the leaves of time
back but 2-5 years and the reader
would observe a landscape of great
beauty, selected and governed by the
Redmen as a vast camping ground.
These rolling hills and broad level
fields presented a far different appear
ance then than they do now. Where
corn, wheat, oats and other cereals now
wave in the mild autumn breeze, tan
trifl .n--tses and native brush beautifi-
Jeu the land of the sleep ng sun. Where j
) the spacious ho ses for man and hois? j
now stand, the curling smoke from the j
Indian"? teppj could have been seen,:
where the fat Berkshire wallowed dur
ing the past summer months, the now
extinct buffalo cooled his parched
tongue. Pasture where today large
lmrik of fattimr stock appear, hills
ijv- " " rr i
whcieon stands well filled graiueries,
all s"lvin evidence of prosperity, then I
t r rented a far different scene. The ;
tall blue-joint jri-iss of tho-e pioneer
days grew t an enormous height, but
was untou:hed save b the hundreds ol
deer, elk and anulope that roamed at
will The iron horse, ?wif;er than the
Indian on his io.iy o- the fleet-footed
coyo'.e. now race across L'neoln county
from no -th to south.
Logical View.
The lands in Lincoln eomr.y. improv
ed, that cm lcd.iy Le pureha-ed for
from Si to 84 per acre, are j ist a
valuable. so far as their producing
qualities are concerned, and just as ;
near schools, churches and markets, as j
are those lands in Iowa and other cast- j
ern stales which are selling Irom o.n
to S10J per aero. It has been clearly
demonstrated that life is too short and
the "so-called" new countries, consid
ering the resources, climate and peo
ple, we have come to the conclusion
I that there is no place like this section
of the country and wish to say to you
people who arc well situated here:
"You had bctcr let well enough a-
! lone." But if you are determined to
j go into some new country, do not leave
the lines of the old reliable railways
Your own ticket agent can give you re
liable facts and data regarding the
country through which his road pass
es. Do not go off on any wild goose
chase, such as is offered bv the "Port
Arthur Route" which leads you down
into Arkansas and into tbe swamps of
Louisiana. That is no place in which
to properly rear your children. Sa
loons, fighting and gambling are the
principle diversions there, while
schools and churches are practically a
side issue. The resources in that
vicinity, however are numerous enough
such as they are prominent among
them may be enumerated snakes, tar
antulas, mosquitoes and ague. We
have traveled through that country
.md know whereof we speak. We also
believe that in this connection, a "word
to the wise is sufficient."
In an eulogy of Nebraska as a state,
we do not wish the -tate to receive the
whole praise, but desire to confine a
portion of it and a large one, too to
'Lincoln County,
ivnd not alone to the county, but to
her enterprising citizens who have so
liberally assisted in making this spec
ial ediiion a success.
Lincoln county is in the fourth tier
from the state's southern line, and is
the second county from the Colorado
tine.
1 he Surface and Streams.
Although the surface of the country
is extremely level it is free from ponds
or marshes. The North Platte in its
easterly trend through Lincoln county
Hows through a valley of unsurpassed
fertility. The peculiarity of this river
is its low flat banks without a tree or
shrub of any kind to decorate them.
The Soil.
The s jil closely resembles the loamy
Jeposit in the valley of the Eg p.ian
Nile, or in the Yazoo Valh y of Missis-j
sippi famous the world over lor incir
richness. It is, however, somevbat
mixed with sand and contains traces of
.ilkali.
Irrigation.
Many people are possessed of the er
roneous notion that western Nebraska
is a barren plain. It is true that before
irrigating ditches became so plentiful
much of the land was unused for crops.
Noiv, however, every man makes his
)tvt. r.iin.and turning the 11 jw onto his
1 tml whenever moisiure is needed, ob
viates th possib.lity of drouth and in
s ires an ab inl.tnt harvest, although
the average rainfall par an mini ii 20
inches.
crops.
Cor.i is king ml the average yield is
forty bushels per acre and of a very
.ro ;d quality. It never fails. O its are
superior to any grown in Illinois, is
cotisin or Iowa, and yield from forty to
eighty bushels per acre. They arc a
sure crop and pay well. Wheat, bar
ley, I've and potatoes aie also sure
crops and are largely grown. Sugar
beets do exceptionally will in this soil,
and are extensively cultivated. Crops
of all kinds this season were simply
immense, and the oldest settler has
never seen a failure. Everything the
farmer plants and properly cultivates
don't care whether h is a hill of beans
or a thousand acres of alfalfa it is uoin"
to yield a good harvest: or anything he
attempts to raise in the way of live
stock don't care whether it is a brood
of chicks or a herd of Short-Horn cat-
cal bank. Of course there are farmers j near the center of Lincoln county about
who will always hi renters, no matter half a mile from the Platte river. Its
how productive t.'ie soil or what oppor- population numbers 3,500 souls. Those
tunities may be afforded them in the J who gazed over the desolate looking
country in which they may locate, but i prairies a few years since and beheld
farmers who have the necessary "git- J the site where the city now stands
up-and-gitativeness" in them, and who j would never have supposed that in so
are endowed with a reasonable amount j short a time there would arise a place
of frugality and thrift, cannot help but ! of such mairnificence: its growth, while
succeed here. i magic "and marvelous has been of a
stock Raisinn. J substantial and enduring nature, and
! .?,,r.nln onnntv is Irnmvn fiirmul wirln UlC beautiful blOCKS Ot Stone ana Dl'lCK
as an extensive stock raising country,
and atone time contained more cattle I its costly PubIic structures, its hand
buildings of fine architectural designs,
" "'""" .-
REV. FAT 1 1 Ell HEALEV
owned by ranchmen than any other some and stately residences, all bespeak
county in the United States. North ! the enterprise and public spirit pos-
Platte has been the scene of many a j sessed by the people who reside in
roundup." and a subsequent celebra- North Platte.
tion in true cowboy style. The raising Public Schools.
of cattle is still a mammota industry, North Platte has one large three
but the "roundups" and ' -celebrations" : story brick school building that cot,
and satisfactory school management is
assured. About 1,000 pupils are enroll
ed although the district contains many
more children of legal school age.
Scholars graduating from tie schools
arc eligible to enter normal college
without further examination. As no
town or city in Nebraska presumes for
a minute to hae existence without a
public school, so North Platte appre
ciating the inestimable advantages ac
cruiner from this source, has fully
provided all the facilities demanded by
its youth for educational purposes
The city certainly has good reason to
feel a laudable pride in her public
schools.
Churches.
North Platte seems inspired with the
same laudable ambition gin spiritual as
in educational matters. The Meth
odist, Presbyterian and Catholic de
nominations are represented by credit
able edifices where goodly sized con
gregations each Sabbath assemble to
hear the holy scriptures expounded,
and pay their tribute of homage and
praise to Almighty God.
The Piss.
Among the noble industries and true
enterprises in North Platte we find the
newspapers. Every week four weekly,
one daily and one tri-weekly newspaper
publications are issued and sent broad
cast from North Platte advocating her
interests and noting her prosperity as
regularly as the bells call the
sinr.er to church. Of course jorae
sinners do not heed the call, likewise
many are unmindful of the press and
its usefulness.
The Record.
Seven years ago the Record plant
under the management of John W.
Elingham,, editor and proprietor, was
established in North Platte. It has
the distinction of being the only dem
ocratic newspaper west of Kearney.
The paper has a large subscription list
and its job otlice is well patronized.
The Telegraph.
H. W. Hill, proprietor of the Tel
egraph, has been a "quill pusher" all
his life. Seven vears ago he became
the North Platte station was over that
road. As North Platte is a division
station the lands and buildings occu
pied by the company are on an exten-
papers that cover the tables of its read
ing room. We learned from F. B.
Hollingworth, the secretary, that dur
ing the three years since its organiza-
sive scale. Ten acres of ground are ; tion this association had been a won
covered by buildings, parks and a net I drous power for good in the community,
work of rails. The round house con
tains twenty five stalls where its mon
strous iron horses are groomed and
housed when not on duty In the yards
may be seen empty freight cars by the
score, awaiting their turn to be called
into requsition. It is here that the
company have erected an ice house
with a capacity of 10,000 tons, and this
season are adding to this a building
wherein 3,000 tons more may be stored.
As all the refrigerator cars that pass
through laden with western fruit or
eastern meat have to be replenished
from the ice stored in these houses, it
necessitates that a large amount be
placed in storage. As fully three hun
dred men are employed at this division
station it means that each month some
$20,000 finds its way from the Union
Pacific paymaster's funds into pockets
of Nurth Platte residents, to be dis
tributed by them throughout the busi
ness portion of the city for the neces
sities of life. The division section
then, is a source of inestimable benefit
to the community in which it is locat
ed. Something of the freight traffic
the Union Pacifilc road handles may be
understood from the statement that dur
ing the busy season which is about
two thirds of the year twentv four
freight trains pass through the city of
North Platte each day of twenty four
hours one freight train an hour. -The
passenger traffic is afforded expediti
ous service by the" two elegantly equip
ped trains bound east and two west
each day. E. L. Lomax of Omaha is
the general passenger agent.
W. L. Park, the division superin
tendent, is perhaps one of the busiest
men in the railway service. In 1870 he
became a resident of North Platte, and
live years later became associated with
the Union Pacific people in his present
capacity. No better recommend of his
faithful adherence to duty can be given
at our hands than the mere fact of his
having held the position so long. He
is always attentive and obliging, and
ever on the alert to serve both the pub
lic and the company in the best possi-
City Water Works.
Without possible exception North
Platte has as fine a system of water
works as any other city of its size in
the state. It is of the elevated tank
system. There are now several miles
of maines in the city. The water is
obtained from deep wells and is of a
fine quality.
A Fire Department
Of forty two members with Joe Hart
as chief is another city enterprise that
has proven of great importance to the
community, The department has a
fine hose cart with a large amount of
. WM,
VROF
EBRIGHT
hose and also has a well equipped hook
and ladder truck and every other mod
ern convenience for successfully sub
duing fire.
Lloyd's Opera Mouse.
North Platte has a very creditable
opera house under the above title.
The house cost 87,000 and will seat
nearly one thousand people. The
stage and dressing rooms are large
and the scenery both expensive and at
tractive. As the lloor is excellent for
dancing purposes, balls an frequently
held in the opera house.
Warren Lloyd the proprietor and
STKF.KT s( FNtE IN NORTH PLATTE.
occur with less frequency and far less
hilarity than those of "ye olden times."
Fruits.
This is a fine fruit country and there
is hardly a farmer in the country but
who raises all he wants to supply home
consumption and has a "right smart"
to sell. Apples, plums, grapes and all
kinds of smal l fruits do well.
The Climate.
A more glorious climate than that
enjoyed by the paop'e of Lincoln coun
ty is not to be found. The crisp, invig
orating air imparts an elasticity to ll e
$2." n il, the; other five school rooms are
contained in frame buildings. The
s'hools this season are in charge of
Prof. Wm. Ebright as superintendent,
who is assisted by nineteen competent
instructors.
Prof, libright was born in Penn. and
educated at the Carthage, Illinois, col
lege. In 1S.SI he began as an instruct
or, and has met with flattering success.
For two years Prof Ebright served as
s-iperintendcnt of the Nebraska State
Instution for the Blind. Two years
ag . short'y be'o-e ho came to take
connected with the weekly Telegraph,
and in March, 181)13, established a daily.
Both sheets are creditable productions
in whose columns the business portion
of the city is largely represented.
Indcpcnd ent Era
This sheet is independent in name
only, as its tendencies are decidedly
Populistic. James W. Cheyney has
been the owner of this six column
quarto for two years.
Tne Tribune.
Ira L Bare has been on the staff of
the Tribune of which he is now the
fruit trees. He was born in Michigan,
and is the son of Col. J. B. Park,
whose regiment, the 4th Michigan
Cavalry, captured Jeff Davis. Col.
1 -"ark: was lor years government sur-
every
part of Nebraska. The name of W.
Park has been ldentiheu with everv
- - . - ! ....
ble manner. Mr. Park is the possessor ! "J.rr railway engmeer thirty
of a well improved 500 acre farm, thirty seven 'ear:5' but bas luit the 1,oad and
acres of which is covered by bearing i 15 ,1U" policeman. iis norae is
one oi tne most beautiful in North
f Platte. Mr. Llovd owns the lake one
mile west of town that bears his name
and which is used in winter as a skat-
I ing rink. Every one knows and has a
. 1 ? .1 1 . m ttt -
veyor, and drove the corner stakes for Kmu woru lo baJ I01' warren L,ioyu.
nearly everv section of land in this . City Officials.
U 1 . m 1
i urasKa, eon uoaso ot oeinr in better
fin!iniM!il rnrl t Jrr Minn YamT Ulnf a
enterprise that promised the welfare rn, . . ,
, tU , , The present official staff is composed
of the public as its fulfilment ever since i . . 1
, i u .i - . of the following citizens, and they are
the time of his arrival here thirty , , J
i , i r . I among the leading and most represen-
years ago: and we trust his efforts are , ... 1
1-11 t 1 ! w uujujwj uigu ji uut; U1UY.
to be.
IJVn.n TT li OliU
learn that ; onuies' eroert vans, frank Tracy,
cars of stock, grain, hay, - . , eu n.uun .
"-i v. ounu ourruusoH, treasurer: v.
R. D. Thomson, chairman of council:
, t . Joseph Cunningham, Dr. Scoct, Joseph
iuperintendentof L,. " . . ' f"
the freight department
about 700
seeds and Hour are shipped from this
station every year. F. T. Redmond is
billing and ticket clerk, having access
R. Morgan, Marshal.
Postmaster.
M. V. Clair, who is orivino- smh cmrul
to both the freight and passenger of-1 satisfaction while servi his RrBt erm
lice. These latter three jrentlemen ' i 1 . ,
RESIDENCE OF MRS. W. F. CODY.
tic, he is going to receive good returns
if they are given half a chance. Yes,
this is a paradise for the farmer, the
valuable for the enterprising agricul- j stockman and the fruitman. Nature
turalist to mold a home in either the intended it to De.
over-worked eastern states or the arid j It is an established fact that Lincoln
never producing regions of the west. county soil will produce anything and
ThP old maxim "Westward the star of ! everything grown in a diversified farm-
omnirP takes its course" has had many ' ing country, and the writer
followers many of whom have gained ! the reader to numerous farmers w
riphes bv the kindlv advice. . carae nere at an early day with no cap-
a worn nf Advice. I ital at all and were renters for several
4 w -
Having traveled in every state in the
union and over all the leading railway
systems of the continent, visiting all of
can cite
ho
years, but to-day own large well im
proved farms and besides have snug
little fortunes to their credit in the lo-
muscles and guarantees health and
happiness. Storms come, it is true,
and lively ones, too, when the wind
blows from the northwest brinsrinc
with it fine particles of snow. Then
the Nebraskan experiences a taste of
of what the easterner designates as a
"blizzard;'" but, really, they are rare,
and the last few winters have been ex
ceedingly mild and open.
North Platte.
But the reader seems impatient to
hear of North Platte, so we will bein
by saying it is the county seat of the best
county in Nebraska, and is situated
charge of the North Platte schools,
Prof. Ebright was vested with the
degree of A.M. Since his advent as
superintendent our schools have reach
ed a proficiency never bsfore attained
which is more than a passing com
pliment to the man in charge of them.
During his residence in North Platte,
Prof. Ebright has made many warm
friends socially as well as professional
ly who will rejoice at his marked
success.
The school board is composed of in
telligent, censoryative business men,
under whose directions a successful
the-state of Nebraska since -J86G and
was formerly western passenger agent
for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
railroad. His present position as post
master attests the respect and high
are very trustworthy officials and thor
oughly competent to perform the du
ties entrusted to their care.
Taken in its entirety the Union Pa
cific division station at North Platte is
an immense concern in whose posses
sion the city may well take pride.
Pacific Express Company,
The cheapest and safest way in which
to send money is undoubtedly by ex
press money order. The express com
pany that has a greater proportionate
share of business than any other in the
stato, is the one above mentioned.
Eight years ago J. I). McGovern took
charge of thMilicoatthis-pointand has
had the satisfaction of seeing its vol
ume of business steadily increase under
his management, until now he issues
to points in every cornrr of the globe
orders amounting to S'5.000 annually.
Mr. McGovern removed t Nebraska
from Iowa, the state of his nativity,
fifteen years ago: and so favorably has
this locality impressed him that he has
decided to make it his future home.
This will be welcome news to the many
friends acquired during his residence
here.
Union Pacific Repair Shop. ( esteem in which he is held by the resi-
Like all other machinery, that used I dents of the town which ha- been his
by railway companies is susceptible to I home for so many years,
breakage, and facilities for its repair Justice of the Peace,
must therefore be adopted. This ne- j The oldest resident of North Platte
cessitates a store where supplies are i today is Judge W. S. Peniston. who
kept and a storekeeper to cheek them j came here early in 18G, and erected
out. J. L. Minor has spent live years the first dwelling ever dotting the
here as dispensor of repairs. The j landscape whereon this city with its
stfwk over which he has control a-1 i"a"y hundred homes now stands. In
mounts to over 312,000, and about$S,000 ! the early days his occupation of stage
CHARLES THORP. M I
ow.-.er. ever since it came into existance
in January, 1SS3. -'he Tribune, a seven
column folio, is printed on a Campbell
power press. In politics it is the most
popular republican paper in the dis
trict. The job work turned out by the
Tribune compares favorably with that
produced by any printing house in the
state.
Railway Facilities.
The first railway across the plains
from Omaha towards the coast was that
built by the Union Pacific Company;
31 . . .1 . .
uuu tne nrst. irain tnat in the year
1S67, came pulling and steaming into
worth are required every month. He
is thus compelled to shipseveral thous
and dollar's worth monthly from the
general supply headquarters at Oma
ha. Two men one of whom does noth
ing else but attend to the oil house
customers are required as assistants
in this department, which is quite an
enterprise of itself.
U. P. Y. M. C. A.
Something that is highly appreciated
by a membership of 300 Union Pacific
employes, is the Union Pacific Young
Men's Christian Association, and the
1.800 volume library it maintains, not
! to mention the periodicals and daily
Uilitl iuu uiui tl UISIUUUC Ul ijCtll
miles- from Independence, Missouri to
Salt Lake City, after the war. One of
the most trying ordeals being the trip
made to carry the first mail through to
Salt Lake City after the Mormon war.
Judge Peniston is an interesting narra
or and has plenty of material to hold
one's attention for hours. He has
saveral times previous to this held the
office of Justice of the Peace and has
been both county judge and county
treasurer. Judge Peniston is the owner
of considerable business property and
a home in the city.
(Continued on Second Paste.)